At 90, this piano teacher shows no signs of slowing down
By Derek Bayne
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ROCKFORD, Illinois (WREX) — A piano teacher is still sharing her love of music with students at 90 years old.
Merle Langs has been teaching piano since she was 11. Now, as she prepares to celebrate her 90th birthday, she still teaches a full schedule every day.
“I love to teach. And I love to play and I love my students. And they love me,” Langs said.
While she can still perform, teaching is where her passion lies. She focuses on helping students connect emotionally with the music they play.
“I teach music to be cherished, to be loved. To smile when you’re playing sometimes. To be sad when it’s sad music. And that you play from your heart,” Langs said.
Music runs deep in her family, stretching back to musicians in Europe centuries ago. Her own grandchildren have followed in her footsteps.
Langs helped nurture the talent of her granddaughter Emily Bear, who became a Grammy and Emmy award-winning musician. Bear focuses on a more pop sound and composing, a different path from her grandmother’s classical roots.
“She’s a wonderful composer and pianist. But she’s different from me. She’s into pop more and you do what you do,” Langs said.
Through decades of teaching hundreds of students, Langs has maintained a simple philosophy about music. She believes it’s part of loving life and that music is love.
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